@libby
Active 3 days, 14 hours ago-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 8 months ago
That’s grim, Ath. I do hope you’re all getting better. All the best.
-
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly Comp – December 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 8 months ago
Untitled, 300 words
Tilty Weston opened a tin of smoked mackerel and put half on his plate. Good for your heart, was mackerel, though his trouble was a limp and a few creaky joints. A tomato was next on the plate, and the frilled leaves of a Webb’s lettuce. A fine thing, a Webb’s. A sight of summer here in the half dark, though no surprise the…[Read more]
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 10 months ago
And thank you Ath for setting the competition and giving us all helpful feedback. Apologies for not mentioning this before.
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 10 months ago
Well done, John, and well deserved. And to everyone else too. I’m glad I didn’t have to judge between such good entries.
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – October 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 10 months ago
498 words including title
Photographs
Kirsty wasn’t interested in the marriage album but there was a folder of other wedding photos. She tipped the glossy prints out over the kitchen table: all those relatives and friends, held in their best outfits for decades.
It was fine to look at them now. The old emotions didn’t snag any longer. Her…[Read more]
-
Libby replied to the topic September 2019 in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 11 months ago
I very much like your story, Ath, exactly because of the problems you comment on. The twist worked really well for me, and I often don’t really enjoy such stories because the twist feels tacked on. This one, though, feels integral to what’s gone before. I also enjoyed it as a horror story but that was secondary for me. I could be over analysing…[Read more]
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
Perhaps the last question is the right one. Or return to the character if not the same story. It sounds as though the character has life or you wouldn’t feel bothered about them. Someone to come back to when the time is right?
-
I’ve got two notebooks full of random notes on characters or ideas. Most of it will never turn into something, but they’re great for when I’m feeling a bit blank – looking through and seeing what wants to be written. If you’re feeling that guilt, then perhaps that idea wants to be written enough for you to spend a little bit of time expanding on it?
-
I’ve written a fair amount of this character, but killed her before her history unfolded later in the story. It was during that unfolding that I began to like her. I was feeling bad enough about having done her in, but then I came across a load of notes about a chance encounter she has with an old friend after a separation of several years. I have…[Read more]
-
-
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
I’m sorry I’m having to pass on this one Squidge. Combination of holiday and having work done at home. I did like your paint chart idea for prompts.
-
No worries – I know September’s busy for most folk, especially after York. Mean I won’t have such a difficult decision judging 😉
-
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
Oh, yes.
‘Funny?’ she interrogated.
‘Hilarious!’ he expostulated.
‘Surely not!’ she declared.
‘But how to you know?’ he exclaimed.
‘Says you!’ she objected.
‘That’s the last thing I’m willing to say,’ he concluded.And that’s just some of them.
-
I love the book. It was reassuring to see mistakes I knew I was avoiding – and be gently reminded of some that I WAS making, without realising!
-
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
Hi Jane, you don’t say where your setting is but for the UK you can give him a non Caucasian name and that will be sufficient?
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
Me too. Is that because it also pointed out how writing could go horribly wrong? I remember, ‘Wearing only his underpants, she watched her boyfriend swim across the lake.’ :-))
-
It’s all the substitute for ‘he said that so resonated with me.
-
Oh, yes.
‘Funny?’ she interrogated.
‘Hilarious!’ he expostulated.
‘Surely not!’ she declared.
‘But how to you know?’ he exclaimed.
‘Says you!’ she objected.
‘That’s the last thing I’m willing to say,’ he concluded.And that’s just some of them.
-
I love the book. It was reassuring to see mistakes I knew I was avoiding – and be gently reminded of some that I WAS making, without realising!
-
-
-
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
PS the author’s new novel has had rave reviews too.
-
Libby posted an update 6 years, 11 months ago
I’d recommend How Not to Write a Novel to anyone. It’s helpful and very funny. However the lack of index is annoying, unless newer editions have one.
-
PS the author’s new novel has had rave reviews too.
-
That was the first book about writing I ever read – bought it for my daughter – and one of the very, very few whose advice I remember well enough to follow.
-
Me too. Is that because it also pointed out how writing could go horribly wrong? I remember, ‘Wearing only his underpants, she watched her boyfriend swim across the lake.’ :-))
-
It’s all the substitute for ‘he said that so resonated with me.
-
Oh, yes.
‘Funny?’ she interrogated.
‘Hilarious!’ he expostulated.
‘Surely not!’ she declared.
‘But how to you know?’ he exclaimed.
‘Says you!’ she objected.
‘That’s the last thing I’m willing to say,’ he concluded.And that’s just some of them.
-
I love the book. It was reassuring to see mistakes I knew I was avoiding – and be gently reminded of some that I WAS making, without realising!
-
-
-
-
-
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
The JW self-edit course, Ath? Yes. I think even a writer as good as you would find it worthwhile. D’you want to check the syllabus first to make sure you don’t know it all already? I can supply basic details, assuming it hasn’t changed much in the past three years.
-
Yes!! Even though you know what you’re doing, there are elements of it that are still useful. I think there will be lots you already know, but in reading others’ work and particularly seeing Debi and Emma’s comments (as well as fellow readers’) is like mini-critique course in itself.
-
Ta to you both for saying some nice things…but I know I need some pushing and shoving and just straight educating. Here’s hoping the January course is a classic!
-
-
-
Libby posted a new activity comment 6 years, 11 months ago
A blog will be very interesting. Thanks, Ath.
-
Blog, please, Ath.
-
-
Libby replied to the topic Flash fiction success in the forum Podium 6 years, 11 months ago
Yippee! Brilliant! Fab! I’m so pleased.
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – August in the forum Monthly Competition 6 years, 12 months ago
Congratulations, Squidge. What a powerful story. And congratulations also to Baz and John.
Many thanks, Kate, for setting the competition. It pushed me hard, and I think from some of the comments I wasn’t the only one racking my brain in an enjoyable way!
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly comp – August in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years ago
398 words including title
Fate and Soul
The house in South Kensington wore fresh white stucco and stood in a terrace of frontages all the same. On a colour chart the paint could have been named Anonymity.
Melissa climbed the front steps. Beneath the pillared porch she tapped a code into the key pad and sensed passers-by lingering. She knew…[Read more]
-
Libby joined the group
Songs of Innocence and Experience 7 years ago - Load More
About 20 hours in. Can now keep water down (which is nice). Bit annoyed that the in-laws didn’t tell us how I’ll they were until the middle of our visit. With D’s mum being an ex ward sister I’d have expected better.
I’d have been quite a lot annoyed 🙂